SMB: Subconian Fever
by WayWardWonderer
Summary: Mario has been stricken with a mysterious illness and now Luigi must find the cure. While Mario battles with his own fever dreams Luigi must do battle with the real threat in the waking world, alone. Princess Peach tends to Mario while Luigi ventures into the Forever Forest to find a way to save his sick, maybe even dying, brother. (sickfic)
1. Falling Ill

Mario abruptly turned onto his side burying his hot face into his cool pillow as Luigi took the cold compress from his burning forehead. Luigi put his hand on his ill older brother's shoulder and spoke in a soothing tone. "Easy bro, everything is going to be okay."

Luigi took the compress and dipped it into a bowl of cool water and wrung out the excess moisture. Gently he dabbed at Mario's forehead to try and ease his brother's discomfort from the raging fever. Mario tried to put his hand up and block the compress out of stubbornness, but Luigi tentatively pulled his hand away and continued to care for the downed hero.

It seemed so odd that someone who was always so healthy, like Mario, could fall prey to any ailment. But to become so ill so quickly was mind boggling and frightening to Luigi.

Two days prior Mario had been exploring the outskirts of the Forever Forest, just outside of Toad Town, without any sign or symptom of an impending sickness. Luigi of course was too scared to go with him, the idea of encountering a wild Boo or picking a cackling flower was too much for the timid brother to bear. Mario had returned home later that night, his clothes were dirty and face was a mess. Luigi had asked him about the trip but Mario insisted that nothing out of the ordinary had happened and he just had to face off against a couple of rogue Boos.

Early the next morning Luigi had been awoken by the sound of Mario shuffling around their house aimlessly, almost like he was in a trance. Luigi found Mario at the bottom of the stairs with a blank look on his face.

"Mario? Are you okay?" He tried to get his brother's attention but he remained silent and still. As his hand touched Mario's shoulder Luigi could feel the intense heat radiating from Mario's body, a sure sign of a fever. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

Luigi guided his brother back to his bedroom and proceeded to stand guard the rest of the day to ensure nothing else unusual happened. It was later that same evening that Luigi heard the sickening 'thud' come from Mario's room. Worried for his brother Luigi knocked on the door and was met with silence. He opened the door and found Mario unconscious of the floor in the throes of an intense fever.

"Mario!" Luigi slid on his knees to his brother's side. Carefully he rolled Mario over, using one hand to support Mario's head and the other to turn Mario onto his back. Luigi pressed his hand to Mario's forehead and felt the fever that was burning him up, although one look at Mario's face was proof enough of any ailment.

Mario's face was pale with dark circles under his eyes and his cheeks were rosy red with fever.

Luigi put his hands under Mario's legs and arms, and lifted his sick brother up from the floor and placed him back into his bed.

From that evening onto until the early morning Luigi hadn't slept. He spent his sleepless night worrying for Mario and trying to calm the intense fever that was plaguing Mario's body.

A gentle rapping at the partially closed bedroom door caught Luigi's ear. He looked up in time to see Princess Peach's lovely face, now a grim mask of concern, walk gracefully through the door. She held her hands clasped together at her chest as she daintily approached the bed. "Luigi? How is Mario?"

Luigi couldn't bring himself to answer her question. He couldn't decide if his reluctance stemmed from fear or confusion, all he could offer was a gloomy head shake as he looked back down at his ill brother's face.

"Do you know what caused this?" She asked quietly as she picked up Mario's hand and held it in her own. Mario relaxed slightly as soon as he recognized her touch.

"No. Not yet." He sighed tiredly. "I wish I could help him more, but I don't know as much about medicine as he does."

Peach put her other hand sympathetically on Luigi's shoulder. "You'll think of something. I'm sure."

"Yeah, but will it be in time?"

"Don't think like that Luigi. We have to stay positive."

"You're right Princess." He stopped fussing over Mario. "But I still don't know where to start looking for any answers."

Mario, still in the grips of the fever, tried to curl up into a tight ball on the bed but couldn't get comfortable. He turned over onto his back again and sighed heavily, his fever strained blue eyes slowly opened and locked onto Luigi. "L-Luigi?"

"Easy big bro." He draped the cold compress over Mario's forehead and pressed it down gently. "You're going to be alright."

Mario forced himself to smile a little before he closed his eyes again.

Peach gently caressed Mario's sweat drenched brown locks of hair as she continued to watch her dear friend suffer from his sickness. "This is so strange Luigi. It's almost like he's fighting something, or someone. Even as he lays in the bed he seems to be confronting something."

"You're right Princess. But what could it be?"

Mario suddenly reach one hand out and grabbed ahold of Luigi's shirt. He pulled himself up and locked his glassy bleu eyes onto Luigi's widened eyes. "L-Luigi... don't go! Don't touch it! Toxic... Subcon..."

Just as suddenly as Mario reached out he fell back against the pillow completely unconscious.

"Mario?!" Luigi called his brother's name with heavy concern. He put his hand to Mario's forehead. "He's still burning up!" As Luigi lifted Mario's wrist to check his pulse Luigi noticed something odd on the sleeve of Mario's arm, it looked like a blood stain. "What the...?" Luigi carefully rolled up the red, boody sleeve and spied some strange markings and puncture marks on Mario's forearm. "Princess! Look at this!"

Peach took a close look at Mario's arm where Luigi was pointing. "He's been injured! But I've never seen any wound that looks like this. What do you think it is?"

Luigi examined the wound gently and reached a bleak, but very plausible conclusion. "It looks like a bite mark!"

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	2. Diagnosis

Peach was surprised by Luigi's observation. She took a closer look at the wound on Mario's arm. "A bite mark? What could've bitten him, and when?"

Luigi put Mario's arm down on the bed and exited the bedroom for the medicine cabinet in the bathroom down the hall. "The puncture marks were caused by sharp fangs..." Luigi yelled down the hall back into the bedroom. He quickly returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol, bandages and a clean towel in his hands. "and most Goomba's have squared teeth, so I'm sure we can rule out a Goomba bite." He finished his explanation.

He sat on the edge of Mario's bed and dripped some of the alcohol on the towel. Being as gentle as possible Luigi began cleaning up the surely infected wound. Mario flinched in pain at the touch of the astringent against the raw wound, his hand contracting into a pained fist.

"What about a Koopa?" Peach suggested curiously.

"Koopa's have sharp beaks but no teeth. With the exception of Bowser of course, he has _huge_ fangs!"

"Do you think Bowser was the one who bit him?" Her voice was shaking as she asked the worrisome question.

"No way. Mario would've told me if he had fought with Bowser. Besides, Bowser's teeth would've left much larger marks than these." Luigi finished cleaning the injury and proceeded to wrap up the disinfected bite in white gauze. "My best guess is this bite was caused by a _Boo_!"

"A Boo? Do Boos have venomous bites?"

"I don't think so, but venomous or not I'm certain a Boo-bite is still very serious."

"Hm..." Peach pondered the notion of a Boo's bite causing an infection. "I wonder if Dr. Toadley knows anything about Boos. I'll stop by the clinic and ask."

"No Princess." Luigi stood up and away from the bed. "I'll go. If anyone sees the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom asking about illnesses someone might get the wrong idea, panic and spread dangerous rumors." He tried to smile but his concern was too much.

"Okay." Peach knew that Luigi really wanted an excuse to leave the house for some fresh air, without 'abandoning' Mario in the process. "I'll stay with him and keep his fever down. Hurry back!"

"I will. I promise." Luigi patted Mario's shoulder. "I'll be back soon, bro!"

* * *

The clinic was quiet, virtually no one was around. "Oh good, it's a slow day." Luigi commented out loud. "I sure Dr. Toadley isn't with a patient."

Luigi knocked on the closed door of Dr. Toadley's office and patiently awaited a response.

"Come in!" The upbeat doctor replied.

Luigi slowly opened the door and poked his head inside the office.

"Luigi!" Dr. Toadley greeted. "What brings you by? You're not unwell are you? You look quite tired."

"No, I'm fine." Luigi answered as he sat in the mushroom shaped chair on the opposite side of Dr. Toadley's desk. "But Mario isn't feeling too well."

"Oh? Stopped by for a consult, eh?"

"Something like that." Luigi wrung his hands together nervously.

"Very well. Tell me about your brother's symptoms." He sat behind his desk calmly.

"Well, he has a high fever and can't stay awake for long. This is all started yesterday morning and it looks like something bit him."

"A bite?" Dr. Toadley was intrigued by the probable injury. "What kind of bite?"

"I'm not certain but I think it was caused by a Boo."

"A Boo?!" Dr. Toadley leaned forward on his desk with a start. "This is NOT good!"

Luigi swallowed nervously. "Wha- what's wrong doc?! Will Mario be okay?!"

"Yes and no!" Dr. Toadley scrambled to the bookshelf on the back wall. He pulled out a bright purple tome and flipped through several pages before focusing on a single passage. " _'Boos have been known to bite on rare occasions; when they do their fangs secrete a powerful and slow acting venom that induces a trance that created vivid dreams, which are exacerbated by the accompanying fever'_."

"What... what can we do?"

Dr. Toadley continued reading. " _'Boo venom can only be counteracted by the Boo anti-venin created from the fang of a Boo'_." He shut the book with a heavy thump.

"A _fang_?!" Luigi's stomach sank with dread. "How... where can I find one?"

"From the source my friend, from the source."

"From an actual Boo?!" Luigi started shaking in his chair. "How... how do I get it?"

Dr. Toadley shook his head. "Use your imagination. How else does one extract teeth from an enemy?"

"I have to confront a Boo and STEAL a fang!?" Luigi sunk down in his chair and pulled his cap down over his eyes. "That's, that's, impossible!"

"No, it's _improbable_." Dr. Toadley corrected. "You can do it, I have faith."

Luigi didn't say anything as he continued shaking with fear.

"I'm sure your brother has faith in you, too."

"Mario!" Luigi sat upright in his seat. "I have to help Mario!"

"That's he spirit! And I know you can!"

Luigi rose from his chair, his legs still shaking. As he approached the doorway he paused and turned to look at Dr. Toadley over his shoulder. "After I get the fang, what do I do with it?"

"According to the tome the fang must be ground up into a find powder and mixed with clean water. Afterward you pour the elixir over the sight of the bite mark."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

"Okay..." Luigi stood up tall and straightened his cap. "I can do this... I can do this... Thank you for the information Dr. Toadley.

* * *

Peach laid a fresh cool compress over Mario's hot forehead and smoothed his sweaty hair back from his face. "Please hold on a little longer Mario. Luigi will be back soon."

Mario's eyes were shut tight as he tossed and turned restlessly. The intense fever caused incredibly vivid, detail and all too real nightmares. "L-Luigi..." Mario stammered weakly. "Don't go... Please..."

"Shh..." Peach gently shushed Mario as she pressed her palm against his rosy cheek. "It's okay. Everything will be fine."

"Luigi..." Mario's voice was uncharacteristically shaken as he spoke. "Leave him... Don't touch him!"

Peach looked out the window and down the lone path that leads directly into Toad Town. "Luigi! You can do this! Hurry!"

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	3. For Mario

The menacing loom of the Forever Forest was legendary. Luigi stood on the end of the lone seldom tread pathway, his back to Toad Town and his mind focused on Mario. The Forever Forest was home to many creepy creatures, flora and fauna alike. Boos have claimed the forest and the neighboring gulch as their territory and did not take kindly to intruders.

Luigi's hands were shaking as he reached up to straighten his cap. He looked at his quaking palms and clenched them into tight fists. "I can do this. It's for Mario."

Despite his fear of ghosts Luigi took his first step into the Forever Forest. The forest itself seemed to have its own ethereal life and it knew Luigi was there. Cackling flowers taunted the timid plumber as he ventured further into the labyrinthine, untamed forest. The trees glared angrily with their unnatural red eyes, unseen owls cried out hauntingly, twigs and branches snapped beneath unheard footsteps that followed Luigi ever step of the way...

* * *

Mario was lost in fever induced slumber. From time to time he'd reach out as if searching for someone he couldn't find. He'd mutter warnings of dread or sorrow that broke Peach's heart with every syllable.

Peach had gone downstairs for only a moment to retrieve some ice from the icebox. Mario's fever was getting worse by the hour, there was no telling how long he'd last without proper medical attention.

Dipping a washcloth in the icy water Peach gently dapped at Mario's forehead and neck in an attempt to soothe he raging fever that was burning him up.

She rested her hand on top of his and lightly squeezed. "I'm here. You're going to be okay."

* * *

Having taken a wrong turn or two, Luigi was both frightened and exhausted as he finally found his way through the forest and at the sight of an ancient, crumbling mansion on the other side. Loud cackles and eerie groans filled the otherwise still air.

"A haunted mansion, of course..." He grumbled to himself.

Luigi carefully scanned over the property looking for any sign of immediate danger or traps before he walked up to the front door. The double-doors were large and rotting with chipped paint, insect activity and weather damage. He checked the door knob, it was unlocked. Pushing the foreboding door open a crack he peeked inside and saw only darkness accompanied by shadow.

"H-hello...?" He called out hesitantly. "M-may I come in?"

A loud cackle from the top of the grand staircase responded. Tall red candles that lined the staircase suddenly burst to life with purple, flickering flames. Luigi looked up the newly lit pathway and focused on the large red door at the top of the staircase. The door was seemingly untouched by time and garnished with gold carvings.

Luigi took a step inside the mansion. The air was cold and unmoving. He took another step, the aged floorboards creaking beneath his weight. "Hello...?"

The front door behind him suddenly slammed shut and locked itself. Luigi let out a yell of terror and turned around to stare at the door with wide blue eyes.

A Boo snuck up behind Luigi and let out a shrill scream.

"Gaaaaaah!" Luigi turned around again, this time coming face to face with a white Boo.

The Boo stared at Luigi with twisted amusement. "We don't often see visitors. Why have you come?"

"I-I-I..." Luigi stammered fearfully, he pulled his cap down over his eyes. "My-my-my brother..."

"Brother?" The Boo repeated. "The one in red?"

"Y-yes..."

"A friend to Lay Bow."

"F-friend?" Luigi pushed his cap up out of his eyes and looked at the Boo, who was now smiling.

"Come!" The Boo faded away and reappeared at the top of the staircase. "Lady Bow would surely like to make your acquaintance."

On trembling legs Luigi slowly walked toward the spooky staircase. He gripped the handrails as he ascended, his nerves already shaken. Step by step Luigi drew ever closer to the door and to the many Boos that surely dwell beyond.

"This way!" The Boo instructed as the door opened on its own. It floated inside the dark room.

"For Mario..." Luigi reminded himself as he stepped into the dark room as well.

The room itself was unexpectedly clean and well furnished. A crystal chandelier hung from the middle of the ceiling, several purple couches lined the walls, oak tables with pink vases and various flowers accompanied each couch. On the far wall was a large, elegantly designed sofa complete with purple silk curtains that canopied the sofa. Behind the curtains Luigi could see a green glow in the shape of a Boo.

"E-excuse me... L-Lady Bow?" Luigi asked in a shaking voice.

"Yes, it is I." The green glow confirmed as the purple canopies were drawn back. "You are Luigi, are you not?"

"Yes, I am..." He replied softly to the lovely green Boo with pink flowers behind her 'ears'.

"Mario's little brother. How nice it is to finally meet you."

"You know about me?" Luigi's tension eased.

"I do. Your brother had helped me to rid of a horrid creature that devoured us Boos and afterward I repaid his kindness by traveling alongside him. He spoke of you."

"Really?" Luigi took another step toward his gracious hostess.

Lady Bow nodded and fanned herself with her iconic pink fan. "Mario said you were a very kind and loyal person with a passionate fighting spirit. I see he was not wrong. Not many people would venture into the Forever Forest, especially those who have a particular 'reputation' amongst the Boo community."

"Oh..." Luigi tensed up again. "You, you know about that?"

She nodded again. "But what you did was to save your brother from certain peril, and I understand."

Luigi let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

"Now, may I ask why you're here?"

"Oh! Mario was bitten by a Boo! And the only way I can help him... Is to, uh..."

"You require a Boo's fang." Lady Bow finished on his behalf.

Luigi took his cap off and held it in his hands. "Please. I need your help. He's my brother, I have to save him."

Lady Bow folded up her fan and gave Luigi a solemn look. "This task that lays before you will not be easy. Are you ready to fight for your brother's life?"

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	4. The Power Up

With Mario's life on the line Luigi new he had to act quickly, even if those actions meant facing his greatest fears, battling monsters or putting his own life in peril.

Luigi took in a deep breath to his steady his nerves and stepped toward Lady Bow. "I'm ready. What do I have to do?"

Lady Bow smiled a little. "To retrieve a Boo's fang you must find a way to prevent a Boo from fading away. You must find a way to make the Boo's form solid."

"Solid?" Luigi thought for a moment and remembered his battle against 'Boolosus' back in his mansion. "Perhaps I can freeze a Boo! Then I can get a fang!"

"Ingenious. How do you plan to use this freezing ability?"

"Hmmm..." He didn't have the Poltergust at his disposal anymore, but there were wild Ice Flowers growing nearby. "I'll use a power-up! No problem. Where can I find the Boo to freeze?"

"It depends on the Boo who bit Mario."

"What do you mean?" Luigi was a little surprised by this new detail.

"The bite of Boo varies by the Boo's species. What kind of Boo bit Mario?"

"I don't know. I wasn't with him and never said anything about being bitten."

"Hm..." Lady Bow fanned herself again. "Tell me, what is your brother's condition?"

"Well, he has a fever, he collapsed and can't wake up and seems to having nightmares."

"Ah! He's suffering from 'Subconian Fever'."

"I've never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised." She closed her fan. "It's a rare illness that strikes only those of a humanoid species. The victim suffers intense and inescapable nightmares. It's caused solely by the bite of 'Night Realm' Boo."

"Uh..."

Lady Bow closed her eyes and smiled a little, amused by Luigi's innocence. "A Night Realm Boo comes out only at night and enjoys attacking creatures who wander the woods at night. They can be identified by their dark blue body and dark purple eyes. They live in shadow and only reveal themselves to those who show no fear."

"No fear?"

"Yes. They see courage as a challenge and a mockery."

Luigi crossed his arms and closed his eyes. _'Explains why they attacked Mario_.' He though to himself. Opening his he looked back at Lady Bow. "Where do I have to go to find a Night Realm Boo?"

"Go to the old bridge that connects the forest to the gulch. The Night Realm Boos frequently hide under the bridge in the darkness. Prepare yourself well!"

Luigi straightened his iconic green cap. "Thank you Lady Bow, I appreciate the help."

"Farewell Luigi. I hope you and your brother are soon reunited in the world of the waking." She faded away as Luigi walked from her private chamber and back into the entryway of the mansion.

Luigi stepped outside of the decrepit mansion and looked to the red sky as the sun began to set. "I can do this!"

* * *

Peach was holding Mario's arms down onto the bed as he continued to thrash about at the threats he could only see in his fever raged nightmare.

"It's okay, Mario!" She tried to soothe. "You're safe!

During Luigi's absence Mario's fever had gotten worse and his dreams more vivid. It was a struggle to keep Mario still enough for Peach to tend to his fever and she was getting scared.

Time and time again Mario would cry out in anger or desperation against the foes from his nightmares. "No! Don't... Don't do it! Leave him... Luigi!"

"Shh!" Peach managed to calm Mario enough to keep him from constantly lashing out. "You'll be okay, so will Luigi!" She pressed the cold compress to his forehead as she pressed her hand against his warm cheek. "Oh, please be still. You're burning up!"

* * *

Crossing through the large glade to the east of the Forever Forest Luigi found the entrance to a perpetually icy cave. Inside were small blossoms that were sure to bloom into beautiful Ice Flowers. Luigi picked the largest bloom and used its power to obtain control over ice. As the power flowed through his body his clothing changed to their wintery design.

"Gotcha'!" He proclaimed boldly. "I better take an extra flower with me." He picked the second largest flower and placed it in his cap for safe keeping.

The sun was nearly set. Night was drawing nigh and the Night Realm Boos would awaken.

"I have to get the bridge and fast!" Thinking quickly Luigi began shooting balls of ice onto the ground Luigi creating a smooth sheet of ice. As he slid on the ice he continued to shoot ice balls onto the ground ahead of him, creating a personal ice path to swiftly slide along. "Let's go!"

His unusual pathway stretched from the glade, into the forest and beyond the mansion grounds to the gulch on the other side.

* * *

Mario sat upright in his bed and called out in fear. "Luigi! Don't go!" He fell back heavily against his pillow as the inescapable slumber overtook him again.

Peach continued to tend to the fever. "Mario, I hate to see you like this." She smoothed his hair out of his face and placed the compress over his forehead. "But you're strong. You'll make it and so will Luigi." She tried to keep her tone optimistic, hoping it'd help Mario relax.

"L-Luigi..." Mario mumbled in his sleep over and over again. "Don't... go..." He turned his face away from Peach into his pillow. "Please..."

* * *

Luigi arrived on the desolate, isolated bridge just as the moon appeared from behind the dark clouds overheard. There was no sign of any movement from anything or anyone. It was quiet, there wasn't even a cricket's chirp.

"No fear." Luigi repeated to himself. "Show no fear." He set foot on the rickety wooden bridge and stood with his head held high, the glow of the moon illuminated his figure across the barren landscape.

The silence was deafening and eternal.

"No fear. I'm not afraid to fight for Mario. I will not fail my brother!" He proclaimed confidently.

From the dark depths beneath the bridge a Boo's sinister cackle replied to his statement.

"Show yourself!" Luigi demanded.

In front of Luigi's eyes a sapphire blue Boo appeared, it's lavender eyes glaring into his own. "As you wish..." It taunted menacingly.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	5. The Show Down

Luigi refused to show the fear that was aching at his heart. He refused to give up and submit to his fear of ghosts and lose his only opportunity to find the cure for Mario's illness. Taking a deep breath Luigi glared angrily at the Boo who was already glaring at him.

"Let's go!" He created a large ball of ice and threw it forcefully at the Boo as he jumped high into the air.

The Boo easily dodged the ice by fading away and reappearing behind Luigi as he returned to the ground. "BOO!" It cried as it used its white flipper like appendage to smack Luigi and send him flying across the bridge.

Luigi landed with a heavy thud on his back but was quickly to his feet again. Forming another ball of ice Luigi launched at the Boo who managed to evade the attack once again. Luigi pulled his cap down and clenched his fists in anger. "You're not getting away from me!" He threw multiple ice balls at the Boo who consistently wove between each attack and mocked Luigi with maniacal cackles.

The battle atop the moonlit bridge continued on...

* * *

Mario's restlessness became increasingly erratic as the fever still plagued his dreaming mind. He managed to open his eyes long enough to see Peach sitting on the edge of his bed, pressing the cold compress against his forehead.

"P-Princess...?"

"Mario!" Peach was so relieved to see him finally awake. "You've finally woken up, you're going to be okay."

"N-no... Lu-Luigi, where is... Luigi?"

Peach gently caressed his hair. "He went to look for the cure for your illness. He'll be back soon."

"N-no... He can't."

"What? Why?"

"T-trap. It's a trap."

"A trap?! Where?"

"The... bridge..."

* * *

Luigi used the back of his hand to wipe the building sweat from his forehead. As he formed another ball of ice in his hand he stared with great intensity into the eyes of his Boo foe. "This isn't over yet!"

The Boo cackled and positioned himself on the center of the bridge. "Luigi, you fool!"

Luigi threw the ice ball at the Boo who swiftly faded its body allowing the icy projectile to pass through harmlessly. "Your own actions brought this chaos upon your brother!"

"Wh-what?" Luigi was stunned by the accusation.

"Had you not taken our mansions and our brethren, we Boos would not be forced to dwindle on the outskirts of nothingness with few resources to our name."

"What does that have to do with Mario!?" Luigi demanded as he threw three more ice balls at the Boo while taking several bold steps closer to his target.

The Boo grinned with vile joy. "You troublesome brothers have no business meddling with ethereal affairs. His courage inspires the denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom to be brave, to no longer fear those who lurk in the darkness. Without fear to prey upon our strength has dwindled. We had to form an alliance with the king of the subconscious realms."

"King? Who is this king?" Luigi took another step closer to the Boo, the bridge creaking ominously and weakly under his weight.

The Boo's smiled widened wickedly. "King Wart."

"W-wart?" Luigi stammered. "How is that-" The bridge beneath Luigi suddenly gave out, collapsing into a pile of aged lumber and splinters in the dried riverbed below.

The Boo cackled with amusement as it looked down at Luigi. The downed hero was knocked unconscious and partially buried in the massive pile of debris, the power of the Ice Flower no longer coursing through his veins.

* * *

"Luigi!" Mario cried out suddenly. "Something..."

"Shh!" Peach again soothed as she pressed her hand to Mario's cheek. "It's okay."

"No..." Mario replied sadly. "He is..."

"Mario? What happened?"

"The trap. He's... hurt." Mario's eyes suddenly closed and his head lolled to the side against his pillow.

"Mario?" Peach gently shook his shoulder. "Mario? Please wake up! You need to wake up!"

The ill hero remained silent and unconscious.

"Oh, Luigi!" Peach dreaded the idea of losing one friend, let alone two! "Please be okay, we need you to be okay! We _need_ you!"

* * *

The dark blue Boo hovered down through the hole and circled above Luigi's prone, defenseless body in the rubble.

"King Wart will soon have _you_ in his clutches as well."

Opening its mouth as wide as possible the Boo brandished its large, glowing white fangs. The eerie moonlight caused each fang to glisten with a hypnotic aura. The Boo neared Luigi's arm, ethereal saliva dripping from its fangs as it drew ever closer to its defenseless target.

Luigi didn't move, his eyes remained closed.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	6. Brothers and Battles

The Dark Realm Boo hovered lower to his prey, down to Luigi's arm with its massive fangs exposed and dripping. The vile creature's teeth were just centimeters from Luigi when the injured plumber suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed the second Ice Flower from beneath his cap, powered up and threw two ice balls at the Boo before it even had time to react. "Gotcha'!"

With a heavy thud the ice encapsulated Boo fell from the air and onto the ground at Luigi's feet. Its entire body had been frozen in a single block of ice.

Luigi sat upright in the rubble pile and rubbed at his left shoulder. His shirt had been torn during the fall and sharp bits of the broken timber had cut into skin.

Carefully Luigi approached the Boo trapped in its icy prison. With a single focused punch from his good hand and arm Luigi broken a chunk of the ice sheet away from the Boos face, exposing the ghostly façade to the moonlight. The Boo snarled angrily, still unable to move and unable to escape.

"I'm not doing this because I hate Boos, I'm doing this because I love my brother." With one more focused punch Luigi struck the Boo in its gaping mouth, dislodging a single large, sharp fang from its upper jaw.

The Boo shrieked in pain as its fang fell to the ground in landing between the dueling opponents. Luigi bent down and picked up the fang. "Thank you." Dusting off his clothes and tucking the fang under his cap Luigi made his way to the barren cliff side that would allow him to climb back up to the bridge. He turned and looked at the Boo over his bad shoulder as he slowly climbed upward. "Don't worry, the ice will melt by sunrise!"

His only response from the Boo was another angry snarl of pain and frustration that echoed through the vast, dried riverbed.

* * *

Mario, still helplessly trapped the fever delusion of his own nightmare, continued to struggle to fight against the unseen deity that continued to torment him.

Peach did her best to comfort him in his hour of need, while gently restraining him so he couldn't accidentally harm himself. The fever had grown worse and threatened to do permanent damage to Mario's taxed body.

"Please Luigi, you have to hurry! Mario needs you!" Peach pleaded as she continued to try her best to take care of her ailing heroic friend.

* * *

Luigi successfully ascended the cliff and pulled himself by one hand back up onto the bridge. He was tired, dirty and a little bloody, but undeterred. Scrambling to his feet Luigi used his ice power to create another trail of ice to slide his way through the gulch and forest at an incredible pace! The night had worn on quickly, it was very late and there was no sign of any other creature stirring along the outskirts of Toad Town.

As Luigi met the seldom tread trail that connected Toad Town to the winding pathway of Forever Forest, Luigi stopped his barrage of ice balls and proceeded to run on foot. He didn't want to attract any unwanted attention or possibly leave a trail for the angry Boo to follow.

He paused to take in a breath and rub at his aching shoulder. "Almost there, bro! Just hang on!" Resuming his fast pace Luigi ran through Toad Town, passing by all the closed shops and dark houses until he found the lone pathway that lead to their isolated, cozy Pipe House.

* * *

Mario was burning up.

Peach took the blanket from his sleeping form and placed more ice across his forehead and a new cold compress over his chest. "It'll be okay..." She whispered, more to herself than to Mario at this point. "Just be strong for me."

"L-Luigi..." Mario stammered again, his eyes never opening. "I'm... sorry..."

From downstairs the front door was opened with a powerful thrust. Peach jumped at the noise but breathed a sigh of relief when she heard someone running up the stairs.

"Luigi?" She called out impatiently.

"I've got it!" He replied as he ran into the bedroom. He pulled off his cap and retrieved the collected fang. "I've got the fang! I can cure him now!"

Peach was a little startled by Luigi's rough appearance but she didn't say anything.

Working quickly Luigi used his fists and began smashing up the fang, grinding it into a fine powder on the desk across from the bed where Mario still lay. He looked at Peach tiredly. "Water."

Peach took the bowl of now melted ice from the nightstand over to Luigi. "Here."

Luigi scooped up the powder and poured it into the bowl of clean water. The powder dissolved instantly and turned the water a vibrant shade of bright blue.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Peach asked curiously.

"I don't know. But we'll find out." Luigi walked over to Mario's bed with the cure. He placed the bowl back on the nightstand as he unwrapped the bandages from Mario's arm. The bite mark had turned a sickening shade of red and looked raw. "Towel?"

Peach took a clean towel from the small pile she had brought into the bedroom during Luigi's absence.

Luigi dipped the towel in the glowing elixir and gently dapped a small portion onto the wound.

Mario flinched in pain as the elixir worked to counteract the lethal infection caused by the Boo's venom.

"Sorry bro, but I have to do this." Luigi apologized as he laid the towel down across the length of the injury and slowly poured the remaining elixir onto the towel.

Peach ran her fingers through Mario's hair as she sat with her dearest friend on the edge of his bed. Her touch seemed to bring him some much needed comfort as his body reacted to the anti-venin now coursing through his veins.

"Mario?" Luigi called his brother's name. "Can you hear me?"

Mario still didn't open his eyes. But he became increasingly still as the pain subsided and the venom lost its potency.

Luigi lifted the towel away from the wound to examine the bite mark, but what he found shocked him. "Princess! Look!"

She leaned over Mario and looked at his arm. "The marks! They're almost gone!"

Right before their amazed eyes the wounds faded away leaving no trace of their damage behind, not even the faintest of a scar.

"It worked!" Luigi announced happily, small tears in his eyes.

Peach put her hand on Mario's forehead. "His fever is almost gone, too! You did it!"

Luigi pulled his cap off his head ran his fingers through his messy hair. "No, we did it. You, me _and_ Mario."

* * *

Mario slept peacefully all through the night. The nightmares that plagued his slumber had disappeared along with his injury. Peach had taken the liberty of bandaging up Luigi's injured shoulder and sitting up with him for the rest of the night. The duo refused to sleep until Mario himself woke up.

The light from the rising sun crept into the room through the partially opened window. The warm rays and increasing brightness roused Mario from his sleep. He sat up in his bed and looked around the room confused. Why were Luigi and the Princess in his bedroom?

"Luigi?"

"Mario?" Luigi looked up. He and Peach were sitting against the far wall together. "You're awake!"

"What's going on?"

"It's, uh, well, it's a weird story." Luigi blushed a little. "How do you feel?"

"Confused. And for some reason I feel like I ran from one side of the Mushroom Kingdom to the other. What happened? And what happened to your arm?"

"Do you remember your trip to the Forever Forest?" Luigi asked as he slowly stood up, helping the Princess to her feet in the process and walked over to his brother's bed. "And encountering the Boos?"

 _ **-The End**_

 _ **Or...** _ Is it? Perhaps this is just the beginning of a bigger adventure for the Mario Bros. Perhaps the alliance between King Wart of Subcon and the Boos extends further than anyone could have possible imagined! No my friends, the story is far from over...


End file.
